Limited genetic variation and structure in softshell clams (Mya arenaria) across their native and introduced range

Abstract:

To offset declines in commercial landings of the softshell clam, Mya arenaria, resource
managers are engaged in extensive stocking of seed clams throughout its range in the
northwest Atlantic. Because a mixture of native and introduced stocks can disrupt locally
adapted genotypes, we investigated genetic structure in M. arenaria populations across
its current distribution to test for patterns of regional differentiation. We sequenced
mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) for a total of 212 individuals from 12 sites in
the northwest Atlantic (NW Atlantic), as well as two introduced sites, the northeast
Pacific (NE Pacific) and the North Sea and Europe (NS Europe). Populations exhibited
extremely low genetic variation, with one haplotype dominating (65-100%) at all sites
sampled. Despite being introduced in the last 150-400 years, both NE Pacific and NS
Europe populations had higher diversity measures than those in the NW Atlantic and both
contained private haplotypes at frequencies of 10% to 27% consistent with their
geographic isolation. While significant genetic structure (FST = 0.159, p<0.001) was
observed between NW Atlantic and NS Europe, there was no evidence for genetic
structure across the pronounced environmental clines of the NW Atlantic. Reduced
genetic diversity in mtDNA combined with previous studies reporting reduced genetic
diversity in nuclear markers strongly suggests a recent population expansion in the NW
Atlantic, a pattern that may result from the retreat of ice sheets during Pleistocene glacial
periods. Lack of genetic diversity and regional genetic differentiation suggests that
present management strategies for the commercially important softshell clam are unlikely
to have a significant impact on the regional distribution of genetic variation, although the
possibility of disrupting locally adapted stocks cannot be excluded.